Such an arrangement is known from the publication by Roy W. Martin et al., "An Endoscopic Micromanipulator for Multiplanar Transesophageal Imaging, Ultrasound in Med. & Biol., Vol. 12, No. 12, pp. 965-975, 1986", and is used for three-dimensional reconstructive ultrasound imaging of the heart by taking multiplanar, sectional images with the help of an ultrasound converter which is located at the endoscope's front end and capable of a slewing motion perpendicular to the endoscope's longitudinal axis. The planes of the sectional images obtained in this manner are at oblique angles to each other. The result is that the imaging data gained lacks the necessary quality for some applications and the scanned volume is small and its distribution unfavorable. Above all, the scans are not precise enough for reproduction and the images generated are unsuitable for comparative studies.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,738, an endoscopic process as well as a device for Ultrasound-B-Image scans are known. The ultrasound converter is arranged in the rigid front end of an otherwise flexible hose. In order to generate multiplanar tomograms, position changes are required which are difficult to reproduce, and as a consequence, exact three-dimensional reconstructions of the scanned organs are not possible.
From EP-A1-0 234 951, a catheter with an ultrasound converter is known which allows the scanning of blood vessels by slewing the ultrasound converter on its longitudinal axis and/or by its lengthwise extension. However, the reproducibility of the tomograms obtained in this manner is equally poor and, consequently, exact three-dimensional reconstructions of the scanned organs are not possible.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,963, an inspection instrument with a long flexible body is known which has a number of hollow links arranged in axial alignment, forming a guiding channel for fibre-optic strands. In order to give the device rigidity, a tension wire runs through the links and presses them together.
In GB-A-2 143 920, an endoscope shaft is described which also consists of a number of vertebrae-like links surrounded by a flexible hose.